


you're tense

by mourningbramble



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Hurt Link, Oneshot, Post-Breath of the Wild, Post-Calamity Ganon, zelink
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-30
Updated: 2020-04-30
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:47:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23934832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mourningbramble/pseuds/mourningbramble
Summary: Link is always tense. Zelda tries to give him a little back massage to help him out.
Relationships: Link/Zelda (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 127





	you're tense

Link felt her arms wrap around his waist and her face press against his back. It was Zelda, obviously. She was the only other person aside from Link to inhabit the cozy little home on the edge of Hateno Village.

The sun was setting and Link had been cooking dinner for the two of them while Zelda was up in the loft, quietly studying her notes from that day’s research. Link had barely heard her pad down the stairs and come up behind him.

“Hi,” He chuckled, looking over his shoulder to smile at her.

Zelda looked up and met his eyes, pausing to take in his face as the sinking sun cast a burnt orange light across Hyrule. Snaking her arms away from his waist, she stood up on her toes and rested her hands on Link’s shoulders to balance herself. She quickly kissed him on the corner of his mouth, giggling as she felt him smile.

“What was that for?” Link asked, playfully, as Zelda dropped to her feet, her hands still resting on his shoulders.

He turned his attention back to the mushroom stir fry he had been tending to on the stovetop, pushing around the greens simmering in the pan with a wooden spoon.

“I just wanted to say hello,” Zelda hummed. Her thumbs absentmindedly worked themselves into Link’s muscles, easily sensing the knots in them through his lightweight tan shirt that blew in the summer evening’s breeze.

“Well, hello to you too,” Link laughed. “What’cha up to back there?”

“You’re tense,” Zelda answered. She furrowed her brow, working the pads of her thumbs into the kinks near the nape of his neck. “Would mind if I rubbed your back? After dinner, I mean.”

Scraping the stir fry into two bowls, Link sighed at the sentiment. “Zelda, I’m always tense.” He replied, turning around to hand her her bowl and forcing her hands to slide off his back.

She took the bowl from him, snatching a fork from the countertop and stabbing it into the meal. “Well, you shouldn’t have to be all the time!” Zelda scoffed, resting her free hand on her hip. “You’re the hero of Hyrule for Goddesses’ sake. Let me help you.” She stuck her hand out, pretending to wait impatiently for Link to take it.

Always sheepish to refuse the princess, Link attempted to protest as cradled his own bowl of steaming food with both hands. “Zelda, you really don’t need to. I’m fine. It doesn’t even bother me anymore-“

Zelda wagged a finger at him. “No ‘buts’! I want to do this for you.” She interrupted, offering her hand again. “Now, come, my love,” She spoke gently, Link letting out a small groan of frustration as his hand slipped into hers.

She led him up the stairs to the loft, where their shared bed was. Setting her stir fry bowl on the nightstand, she sat behind Link, who’d already plopped down on the edge of the bed. He was a forkful deep into his food, nearly already done.

Zelda decided she’d let him finish eating first. He did make the food, after all. She took out his ponytail and ran her fingers through his hair quickly just to gather all of it back up and tie it all out of the way rather than leaving it half up half down.

She back to admire her work, smiling to herself. She loved his hair like that. Link leaned forward to place his now empty bowl on the floor.

Sitting back up, Link stretched his arms over his head and yawned. “Okay, shirt off?” He asked as he swung his arms back down, already preparing to pull the soft fabric over his head.

“Yes, please,” Zelda said, helping him pull it up and off him, wanting to speed things up.

Link relaxed a bit, leaning back as Zelda’s hands came into contact with his warm, bare skin.

Scars traced their way all across the canvas of his back. Most were long and deep and angry looking. Although they were all healed, they were a permanent reminder of their battle with Calamity Ganon not even a year ago - and their near-fatal defeat at his hand one hundred years before that.

“Oh, Link,” Zelda whispered, gently tracing one particularly long, skinny scar that cut Link’s back in half diagonally. “These never get easier to look at.”

“I know,” He replied back quietly. “I’m okay.”

He looked over his shoulder to see Zelda nod thoughtfully, like she was processing whether or not his answer was adequate.

She must’ve decided it was, because Link felt her drop a silent, loving kiss onto his shoulder as he turned back around.

Her hands found their way to where they had laid earlier downstairs, right above his shoulder blades, close to the nape of his neck.

“Here?” Zelda questioned as she slowly worked her hands into Link’s skin.

“Mm-hmm,” Link grunted in response.

“It doesn’t hurt too badly, does it?” Zelda continued to attempt to find the most soothing way to work out the tightness that squeezed his muscles. “You’ve got a lot that needs sorting out back here, Link. When was the last time you stopped in Gerudo Town for their spa treatment?” She tried applying a smidge more pressure.

“Goddesses, who knows,” Link sighed in relief as Zelda hit a tight spot. “This feels so good, Zelda. Sometimes I forget what it’s like to just relax and just be normal for a little while.”

Zelda laughed and the sound of it chimed in Link’s ears. “You really do need to take some time for yourself, you know. I know you get restless with nothing to fight as often as you used to.” She said, switching to rhythmically dragging her nails across Link’s back - up and down, up and down.

“I suppose,” Link mused. He angled his body a bit to face her and tilted his head, sighing. “Regardless, I had 100 years to myself, and look where that got Hyrule—“

Zelda had interrupted him by placing a finger to his lips. “Shhh, my love,” She pulled her finger away and stroked Link’s cheek with the back of her hand as she continued. “Don’t speak like that. The Calamity’s destruction couldn’t have been stopped by neither you nor I. The thought of it hurts, but everything was all in the Goddess Hylia’s plan. My powers, your near demise, Ganon’s destruction. Even... the loss of the Champions and my father.” She smiled sadly.

Eyes cast downward, Link said nothing, and simply nodded thoughtfully.

She hated when he was quiet. Even though quiet was Link’s default, it left too much to the imagination. You could never tell what exactly was on his mind.

They both sat in silence for few moments longer, each taking in Zelda’s profound reflection on the Calamity.

Finally, Link felt her fingers brush against his toned bicep. He looked up, his bangs falling across his eyes.

“Link,” Zelda spoke softly. “I didn’t mean to bring up old wounds. I just wish that you’d stop carrying Hyrule’s burdens on your back. I wish you’d let me help you work through things every once in a while, whether it be mental or physical.”

Link sighed. He took both her hands in his and brought them to his lips, pressing gently against each knuckle. He let Zelda’s hands slip away and settle on her lap. “You’re so good to me,” He stared down at his own hands. “And you’re right. Obviously. Who would dare deny a request from the princess?” He glanced up to smirk at her.

“Link!” Giggling, Zelda swatted at him playfully. “You know what I meant.”

Link put his hands up in protest. “I know, I know,” He was laughing now too. “Which is why I’d like to ask...” His icy blue eyes finally met hers. “Could you keep rubbing my back? I think I am a bit tense.” He gestured vaguely.

Zelda smiled sweetly at Link, her heart warmed. “Of course, my love.” She leaned in to kiss him, her hand instinctively coming to cup Link’s face.

Link’s hands found her waist as he rested his forehead against hers. “Thank you,” He breathed. “Have I told you that I love you?”

“You don’t have to say it,” She whispered back. “How about we just take some time to relax and be normal for a while, hm?” She caressed his temple with her thumb.

“I’d like that.” Link agreed with a grin.

**Author's Note:**

> hey, this is my first ever fic i've posted to ao3. usually i don't like to share my dumb fics because i write them in my notes app when i get really bored trying to fall asleep. however i really liked this one so i figured i'd post it just to see how it goes over within the community!
> 
> i'm trying to keep my fic-writing life separate from my personal life so in lieu of following me on socials, please lmk what you thought of this fic!! thanks y'all :)


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